This application relates generally to drains and apparatus for priming a siphon and particularly to apparatus utilizing solar energy to actuate the siphon. The present invention has a particular utility for draining standing water from roofs of commercial buildings where water collects in ponds following a rain or melting of ice and snow.
Although flat roof buildings have drains, water collects on the roofs during rainstorms at low-lying positions spaced from the drains. Also, during cold weather ice frequently builds up around the drain inlets interfering with normal drainage during a thaw, causing water to collect in ponds adjacent to the drain inlets. The ponds of water not only overload the roofs but also cause them to leak. The use of a pump or conventional siphon device to drain ponds of water from a flat roof is not entirely satisfactory because the siphon requires priming by a person or by a power driven primer and the pumps require a power supply and a person to operate the apparatus when needed. Solar power has been utilized to for venting roofs, but has not been utilized to actuate a siphon to drain standing water from flat roofs.